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An urban Italian study on emergency room utilisation by immigrants suffering from mental disorders in Rome, 2000–2004

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  16 April 2020

A. Gaddini ,
F. Franco ,
L. Biscaglia  and
D. Di Lallo
A. Gaddini*
Affiliation:
Agency for Public Health, Lazio Region, Rome, Italy
F. Franco
Affiliation:
Agency for Public Health, Lazio Region, Rome, Italy
L. Biscaglia
Affiliation:
Agency for Public Health, Lazio Region, Rome, Italy
D. Di Lallo
Affiliation:
Agency for Public Health, Lazio Region, Rome, Italy
*
*Corresponding author. Tel.: +39 06 83060424; fax: +39 06 83060463. E-mail addresses:gaddini@asplazio.it (A. Gaddini), franco@asplazio.it (F. Franco), biscaglia@asplazio.it (L. Biscaglia), dilallo@asplazio.it (D. Di Lallo),
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Abstract

Purpose

To compare Emergency Room (ER) utilisation by subjects diagnosed as suffering from a mental disorder, who were born in Strong Migratory Pressure Countries (SMPC) or in Italy. To evaluate the predictors of admission to psychiatric and to non-psychiatric wards.

Method

Data collected from Information System of Emergency Rooms were analysed. ER contacts in the years 2000–2004 pertaining to subjects who received a psychiatric diagnosis (ICD9-CM codes), and who were born in SMPC or in Italy were examined. “Contacts” included a total of 68,867 assessments made in the ER of all general hospitals in Rome having an acute psychiatric ward. Gender, age and clinical information on SMPC-born and Italian-born patients were compared. A multinomial logistic regression analysis was performed in order to determine risk factors for admission to a psychiatric or to a non-psychiatric ward.

Results

At the end of follow-up, 11.7% of ER contacts concerned patients born in SMPC. Compared to the Italian-born group, these patients were younger and received more frequently a diagnosis of “Alcohol and substance abuse and dependencies”, while admissions to a psychiatric ward were significantly less common.

Conclusion

Monitoring health service utilisation may provide relevant information for the delivery of culturally sensitive mental health services.

Keywords

Emigration and immigrationMental disordersEmergency medical servicesItalyHealth service research
Type
Original articles
Information
European Psychiatry , Volume 23 , Issue 2 , March 2008 , pp. 118 - 124
Copyright
Copyright © Elsevier Masson SAS 2008

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